The Steadfast
by TheWindRider
Summary: The newly crowned Queen Elsa has accidentally unleashed her secret upon Arendelle, turning the land into a winter wonderland. She races to be alone, but someone else follows her frozen path. Follows the story of the movie, with an AU OC twist. Elsa x OC.
1. Chapter 1

**- The Characters Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Hans and others are owned by The Walt Disney Company. I lay claim for the character Erik only. This is my first ever FanFic! Try to go easy on me! -**

"Please! Just stay away from me!" Her voice echoed across the crowd. Fear had consumed her; panic was rising above the threshold. She looked out into the crowd, where shock and awe surrounded her. The people began to back away, unsure of what was about to happen.

"Monster, MONSTER!" A duke shouted. He was crumpled up on the side of a pillar; marks of ice were scattered around him. Another voice rang above the duke's own. "No! She didn't mean for this to happen! She's just frightened!" Yet these words did little to comfort the woman within the crowd, and she turned to run.

The fjord air, which had been a warm comfortable eighty degrees, began to shudder and sink to an unusual crisp and biting cool. A wind began to stir and grow, steadily pushing the warmth out of the region. While the crowd was too shocked at the moment to notice this sudden drop, one individual on the other side of the town did.

He was not a large fellow, and by most accounts he was not even as tall as the average man. Brown hair, and dark brown eyes dominated his facial features; his skin was tan from the many days of being kissed from the sun. He was not stocky, nor athletic, and most people would not notice him as they walked by. His name was Erik, and he was simply an ordinary young man, with a decent ordinary job: to work the docks for the Royal Navy.

On this particular night, he was tasked with watching over the ships while his captains and peers attended the party for Queen Elsa's coronation. The work wasn't bad, as it certainly was not difficult to stare at ships all night while checking for anything out of the ordinary. Yet Erik could not lie to himself, he would have preferred to go to the coronation. He had caught himself countless times wondering what the princesses were like. Erik knew of course it was foolish to daydream of the girls; he had no chance, being practically a peasant. He was lucky enough to get this job, thanks to his uncle who happened to be a captain of the Navy. But as foolish as it was, _what could a daydream hurt?_ He thought. _It's not as if I'm going to parade into the ball and sweep one of them off their feet…_

No, he knew better than that. So Erik continued his simple, yet dull task of observing the docks. Nothing extraordinary would happen to him this night. Or so he thought…

The wind, which had been calm and soft, began to gust. A chill began to descend upon the very docks where he stood, causing the wood to ache and moan. The breeze seemed to be coming from all directions, disorientating and confusing the young lad. The very air felt agitated, and abrasive like a swarm of hornets. _What on earth… _he pondered. It was at that moment, within the awakening chaos that Erik noticed a beautiful woman with almost glowing platinum hair. She had a look of great despair, as if she would cry at any moment, and she was running for her life.

_Biting cold in summer, and a pretty lady in trouble…_ he lamented, _I think this constitutes as unusual. _He began to move closer, heading across the docks to the shoreline. The woman was sprightly, and as quiet as a fox, giving Erik quite the workout to pursue. At last, upon the shoreline she stopped and hesitated staring across the water. Finally catching up, but still a good distance away, Erik was able to get a better glimpse of her. She was wearing a very fancy dress, but that was not the first thing he noticed. What caught his attention was the deep blue eyes, full of sadness and hurt. He let his gaze follow her beautiful features up to the top of her head, where lay a crown.

"ELSA!" a voice shouted, startling both of them. The woman delayed no longer, and in spectacular fashion began to cross the water. Ice formed upon each footstep, and her pace hastened into a full sprint. _Elsa…? _Erik thought, _I know that name…. _and his eyes widened. _The Queen?! _ He looked on to see her shape forming smaller and smaller, ice spreading in her wake like a tsunami. Within minutes the entire fjord was frozen, with howling winds blistering in and an onset of snow.

_Who is she running from? Why is she heading into the mountains! _Erik's mind raced. Technically he was not to leave his post, but this was the Queen. She was obviously in some sort of danger, why else would she run? _I cannot just abandon her, who knows what she could be facing out there!_ It was decided then. Erik began crossing back over the docks to the bridge, where better footing could help him run. He was in such deep thought and determination, he failed to hear or see Princess Anna and calling out to her sister. He failed to hear the crowd exclaiming of what had just transpired in the castle's courtyard. And they, who were so focused and shocked with Queen Elsa, failed to notice the young man racing across the bridge into the woods.

_I don't know who is chasing you… but I will not fail in my duties to protect you… I don't care if I am of the lowest rank in your Navy. If no one else will help you, I will. _And Erik raced into the forest, into the blizzard and into the unknown.


	2. Chapter 2

**- Thank you to those who have reviewed, and favorited! - **

The wind was no longer howling, it was screaming. Elsa was moving fast, and she wasn't showing any sign of slowing down. The cold did not affect her, and she barely noticed the obstreperous snowstorm forming behind her. She needed to escape from her life, to leave everyone behind and start anew. She would not hurt her sister, or anyone else ever again. Anna swirled in her mind, and a pain developed in her throat. Her footsteps weakened, her resolve and determination began to falter. Guilt began to kindle in her heart, _I abandoned her again…_ she thought, _how many times will I hurt her? _ The pace stopped. For one long rhapsodic moment, Elsa thought of her sister, and decided that tonight would be the last time she would ever harm her Anna again. She would never return to her kingdom, it was the only way to keep Anna safe. With a heavy heart, Elsa resumed her pace and began her journey to the northern mountain.

Erik was in a panic. The visibility was diminishing, and the Queen had temporarily disappeared from view. Exhaustion was threatening him, for he had been running with haste just to catch up. He had lost ground from taking the bridge, and it had been a stroke of luck that he saw a small glimpse of her magenta cape through the trees. That cape turned out to be the only thing Erik could see, as he raced through the forest. With every turn, through the thick brush, the color faded. The surroundings greyed from the heavy snow accumulation, and the ground engaged in trapping and ensnaring the feet. Erik was lost, but did not stop. There would be no rest tonight, not until he found out what was going on. Yet Elsa was nowhere in sight, and so he trudged on in the last direction she was seen.

The chill was seeping in, and Erik realized how cold he was becoming. He was lucky enough to be in full dress, with a vanilla white undershirt, beige vest and a navy blue overcoat. A silver ceremonial sword, once his uncle's, hung to his side, and a leather strap crossed his chest to hold a pouch for money. His boots were worn down; his pants were tearing from the thistles and brush. With squinting eyes, he surveyed the area rushing past, and still had no clue as to what he should be preparing to fight. There had been no sign of danger anywhere, no sound or disturbance to speak of.

_Is she still running? _He pondered; _did I carelessly pass her without notice?_ Frustrated with himself, Erik considered heading back to retrace his steps. But something was beckoning him forward, and with fear for the Queen's safety and his own failure, he did not sway from his current course. Unaware, he managed to gain ground, due to Elsa's brief moment of grief. To his surprise and relief, he could now faintly see her silhouette, and increased his pace as his hope resurfaced. As if one cue, Elsa herself began to race up the mountain, and for each step Erik took, she doubled. Her feet seemed to magically glide over the snow, leaving no track.

"My lady!" Erik shouted out into the wind. She continued running, no recognition registered of the man trying to help her. It was no use; Elsa was far too ahead to hear and his feet were sinking faster that they were advancing. _Blast it all!_ _How is she so fast?!_ _I received high marks on my military evaluation for just this kind of thing, and yet I cannot catch up to the very person I swore to protect! _To his dismay, the Queen faded away again. _The madness of it all! Queen Elsa where are you trying to go?_

High atop the stony north mountain, the beaming pearly snow sprinkled over the jagged paths. The snowstorm lay across the mountain's sprawling arms. Elsa had finally reached her destination. Free of the fear of harming others, she gazed upon the summit. Her conflict of the costs to become free raged inside, and she found herself, oddly enough, singing. She threw her cloak to the wind, and decided to let it all go. Here she could be herself, here she could finally see just what her capabilities were.

Still struggling through the blowing winds and deep snow, Erik felt the furthest thing from singing. He would have rather kicked a tree, which he tried with a disastrous and snowy effect. As he turned to advance his march to the peak, a familiar cloak landed on a branch above him. Time slowed down, his skin turned to ice, and his breath froze. _No. They got her!_ With the last bits of energy, he threw himself into a half climb, half sprint. Panting, clawing his way through the snow, Erik inched towards a crystalline castle that had seemed to appear out of the blue. The snow began to calm, the winds quieted. As he approached the incandescent palace, a beautiful melody rang out. It was entrancing, and ethereal, he wanted to stand a listen more, but the icy bridge beckoned him. With Elsa's cloak clutched in one hand, Erik made his way to the serene sapphire archway.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for all the reviews! I apologize for the late posting of this chapter, but the holidays were quite busy! Enjoy the story!**

The door glided soundlessly open, with only a whisper of wind to follow. The floor was cool to the touch, yet the air was warm and inviting. There was sense of comfort and relief, and time seemed to have slowed. Every which way Erik looked the glassy ice seemed to emit a glow, rising from the base up to the dominating pillars. A spiral staircase wove down from high above and blended into a magnificent grand staircase. Each inch of the castle was crafted with the highest degree of perfection, as not a single blemish was in sight.

The silence was deafening, and Erik's ears still rang from the howling winds on the foothills of the mountain. He stepped forward into the looming domed room, unsure of what he would find. "My lady?" He looked around to each wall… "Queen Elsa!" No response came, no sound of footsteps emerged. There seemed to be no sign of life, and so he crossed over the intricate floor to the stairs. His footsteps echoed off the woven ice, stretching and expanding above. At the top, was a flawlessly carved archway, which lead to another platform high above the castle floor. And across that platform, stood a woman.

She was strikingly beautiful, with platinum blonde hair and a crystal blue dress. From her figure to her pale freckled face, Erik couldn't help but be stunned. Her deep blue eyes were wide and searching. "Who are you? Why are you here" she breathed. Erik continued to stare, dumbstruck and unable to speak. He opened his mouth but nothing happened, _what is wrong with me? Come on! Say something!_ He continued looking at her, but only could make out the words "I" and "um". The woman did not look amused, and with narrowed eyes she looked to what was clutched in Erik's hand. "How did you end up with my cloak?"

_Your cloak? _He pondered, looking down at the magenta cloth. Then the lights came on, and the shock followed. "My lady!" he exclaimed while practically falling to the floor to kneel. "I must apologize for not recognizing you! You just look so… different." The words did not seem to provide much comfort to her, as she continued to stare unwaveringly. His face was hot and beat red from embarrassment. He removed his gaze on her, ashamed for ogling the queen like that. _Such a fool! You're merely a peasant compared to her! Someone that beautiful would never go for an average man… and worst of all, I have disrespected her. She's the queen for Christ's sake! _His face fell to the floor and he expected some kind of retribution. Instead, however he noticed her step closer.

"You still haven't answered my questions, who are you? And why have you come?" She sounded calmer, but still firm. In the most dignified voice he could muster, Erik responded "my apologies again your highness. My name is Erik, of your royal navy. I… I saw you in distress running from across the docks, I thought you were in danger so I gave chase to help aid you... which reminds me: are you alright? Are you hurt, or still in danger?" He looked sheepishly at her, knowing all well that she was at least not injured.

Elsa's face at first was incredulous, but she slowly relaxed. "I'm alright, and that was a very brave and noble thing to do Erik, but I'm afraid the only one in this room who is in danger is you". Erik had a perplexed look as he scanned his surroundings. There was no sign of danger or anyone else within the castle. "My lady", he responded, "I don't see or feel any danger within here, but if what you say is true then we should head back to Arendelle soon". He stood up, and with courage looked into her eyes, "I will personally escort you back, I promise we will be quite safe".

"No, I can't do that, thank you for the offer. But you should go… head back to Arendelle and tell no one of where I am." She curtly turned her back, and proceeded to leave the room. Erik called after her, "Wait! My lady, I cannot leave you here alone, something could happen to you! I implore you to come with me, your people need you!" Elsa stopped mid step, with one hand clutching the stair rail. "Erik, I think the people need more of someone like you, so willing to protect…" she stared off to the purple-sloped mountain peaks through a window near Erik's back. "What our people need is for me to stay here; that is the only way to keep them safe. I… fear that I am becoming a monster. It would be better for everyone, including you, to stay as far from me as possible. I don't want to hurt anyone."

Erik took a step forward, _she looks so sweet and innocent._ "You would never hurt anyone… please Queen Elsa, come back home with me." She was beginning to become annoyed: _did he not see what I did? Does he not realize who created this castle? _ "You don't seem to understand," and with a flick of her wrists ice and snow rushed forth, curling and swirling around the room. "I have a curse, I created this castle, almost destroyed Arendelle, and nearly harmed the ones I love. You're not safe here with me; I can barely control it. Please. Just go." Awestruck, Erik circled, taking in the beauty and power of the ice and snow. "That's amazing! You shouldn't call it a curse, my lady. It is a gift! Your craftsmanship is perfect! And you have such power!" She seemed quite capable to stand her ground, he reasoned. But a part of him still couldn't leave her behind; he had a strange and confusing yearning to bring her back with him, so he thought of how to persuade her to come back. "So, what about the kingdom?" he asked. "You were just crowned queen…" and he thought of something even direr: "and what about your sister, Princess Anna? I'm sure she is quite worried about you, what if she is out there now looking for you?"

The mention of Anna stung Elsa's heart. _What if Anna is out there looking for me? I could be putting her in danger again._ She was becoming agitated. She just wanted to be left alone, to finally be free, and he was reminding her of all the problems she was trying to quell. She turned her back to Erik once more, her emotions rising: "I'm sure Anna is fine. She has her Hans to keep her company now, and he is a better substitute than me. Anna doesn't need me."

"I don't know who Hans is, but you mustn't say that! I'm sure you are a wonderful sister." He looked valiantly at her.

"You don't know me at all do you…" She bitterly sighed.

"Well maybe I can get to know you better as we head back down the mountain, and reach the princess…" He stepped closer and offered his hand.

"No I've already told you, I'm staying here. It's for the best." She pushed his hand away.

"Please your highness, I-"

"The answer is no-" Her temperament began to falter.

"You can't-"

"No." He was pushing to far...

"Please! Princess Anna would-

"ENOUGH!" She swirled around facing him, but her emotions finally gave in to her power. Her eyes opened wide in fear and time began to slow to a standstill. Her heart shuddered and froze.

Before she could stop herself, her hands expelled a gale force of wind and snow that blew directly into Erik. It threw him back, slamming and cracking his head into the glassy ice window; like a vacuum, he was sucked out of the tower and proceeded to fall into the white abyss below.

Elsa screamed hurdling herself to the broken opening,"ERIK! NO! …. Please…"

Tears cascaded down her rose cheeks, "I didn't mean to… Erik, I'm sorry!" She slid her back against the wall, with her legs sprawled out. She wouldn't openly cry, but she couldn't hold back the silent tears. She let them fall.

_This confirms it… I truly am a monster and a threat to everyone. _She thought of Erik, _He only wanted to help… he came to save me, and instead he needed the saving. _She thought of Anna, _Oh Anna, please be safe, please don't come after me…_ She buried her head in her knees, trying to rebuild the freedom that she had so briefly and desperately experienced. _I won't let Erik's bravery go to waste. I will never hurt anyone again, I'll shut the door to the world forever… _She tried to regain her resolve, but at the back of her mind was Erik. She should have gone outside, to find him. But a dark essence ebbed at her, gripping her fear of what she would find. She continued to stay frozen to the floor, unable to move.

Far below, the lonely magenta cape fluttered and flapped, slowly descending upon the lower face of the north mountain, upon the pine forest.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews!

_The pine trees rustled in the wind; a warm summer gust breathed across forest, over the great waters and into the bustling wooden docks. The scene was filled with shouts and murmurs, laughs and cries, excitement and caution. People were flowing to and from the harbor, going about their business and humbly greeting each other. One thing stood out, and it was irresistible to the passerby's eye: a large royal navy ship of the line. With its pearly white sails, tall masts and burly hull it was a mountain of proud magnificence. It cast a shadow over all who marveled at it, including one small individual. _

_While most people walking by stared with great awe, this young lad had an expression of fear, revulsion and sadness. When he looked upon the ship, he thought of how his father would be gone again, for who knows how long and of the dangers he could possibly face. He was reassured, of course, over and over again that the ship and crew would be fine; his father was the captain after all, and a good sailor at that. But the young man felt off, he sensed a strong foreboding that this was not the day to set sail. _

_"Please father, why can't you wait until tomorrow?" He pleaded to the taller, decorated man standing next to him. _

_"Now Erik," he replied, "we have a schedule to keep. The King and Queen must reach their destination in five days time." He gave Erik a small reassuring smile. "We need this extra day in case we…" He stopped himself, knowing well that the words would only aid in the boy's terror. The man turned to Erik, looking upon his son, noticing how weary he looked. He certainly felt the guilt for leaving his child considering the circumstances. He sighed._

_"These past months have truly tested us. There doesn't go a day where I stop missing your mother…" He looked down in thought. "The last thing I want to do is leave you here alone, but I must support and protect our King and Queen. It is my duty: you understand that don't you? You have my brother to watch you for next few weeks…" He noticed Erik's unwavering look, _

_"Don't worry son, I will be just fine. They didn't make me captain for nothing." He winked at his son, whose expression had still not changed. His father laughed, "You truly are steadfast in your feelings aren't you!" _

_The bells started to echo, and the passengers began to furiously board. Amongst them were the King and Queen, in elegant attire, who seemed to emit their own radiance over their people. They seemed calm, and confident._

_"I promise" the father spoke, bringing Erik's attention back to him. "When I return, we will spend the whole week together. I'll teach you how to become a true sailor, maybe even a better captain than me." Be beamed down upon his son, and gave him a tight embrace. He could see Erik was holding back tears, and smiling he added "you have a strong heart, never let that change and always hold on to who you are." And with that, the man ruffled Erik's hair and proceeded to climb aboard the ship. _

_A time later, it finally set course. Erik stood at the edge of the dock, gazing out, searching and hoping. At last he saw his father waving and smiling off the stern, his figure slowly diminishing in the distance. Erik nervously waved back as the ship calmly and silently disappeared around the bend. They could never have predicted the violent raging storm that lay miles away; the lightening flashing and exploding over the breaking waters._

Erik gasped and jolted, awakening with the lightening still in his eyes, the smell of the dockyard still in his nostrils, the memories still emblazoned in his mind. Another bad dream. His heart was still racing, and he tried to sit up. But he was unable to do so, as he was completely surrounded by snow. Dazed and disorientated, he wiggled around to get more room to manage with. With no idea where he was, or how he got into this predicament, he decided to shovel his hands upwards through the thick powder. As he reached his arms forward, he was able to briefly see sunlight before the snow cascaded back. With more effort, Erik pushed the snow back and was able to feel freedom. He finally sat up and surveyed his surroundings: he was within a light forest on the slope of a tall mountain and was in a small crater of his own doing. His head began to ache and throb, the dizziness impairing his ability to stand. He wracked his brain for answers, of why and how he got here. Slowly the amnesia veil lifted, and the memories augmented into full existence. The chase, the castle, the fall and… the woman. Elsa's emotions had bested him: he recalled pushing her too far, and watching the powerful wave blow him literally out of the castle. _I must have blacked out after that… _he lamented. He turned around and looked up to see the castle, but instead he found he was at the base of a large cliff. _How far did fall?! And how long have I been out?!_ He panicked. He could have been out for days or hours, and eventually he reasoned that there was no use in worrying at this point. He instead turned his focus to survival, and food was important; no matter how bad his head was hurting and how nauseous he was becoming, food was necessary. _Hunting is out_, he reasoned. _I only have my sword, hardly the best weapon for stalking prey… foraging it is then._ He turned back towards the downslope and began to stagger to the denser forests below.

The greenery thickened along with the snow, and while the storm had ceded the bitter cold remained. Luckily it wasn't before long that Erik found ample supply of roots, leaves and frozen berries, and while not hearty, they did curb his hunger. He took a moment to think of Elsa, and wondered if he should return to the castle. The thought quickly faded as fast as it had come, _She wouldn't care to see me_;he bitterly stood up and looked back up the mountain. _Do I really want to risk getting knocked out again?_ He sighed, he was alone again and the hope faded. It had been foolish, _What did I expect was going to happen?_ _She wanted to be alone, and so I'll honor that…_ The feelings stung into his wound of failure,_ I just wanted to help_. _I just wanted to be like my father…_ With a quiet and fierce anger, with the thoughts of his father swirling in his mind, he proceeded to hobble down the mountain.

By the time night fell, he had covered considerable ground, and he was no longer staggering and stumbling about. His fury and disappointment had fueled his process and pushed the headaches past his mind. But at this point he knew he needed rest, and so he found a pair of thick intertwining trees to climb and nestle in for the night. His slumber was sudden, but even more sudden was his awakening a time later, when sounds of rustling, crackling and thwacking boomed around his head. He saw the glowing of embers grow increasingly towards him. Voices and figures unrecognizable to his eyes and ears marched past; they were a large group of grim faced men, accompanied by several white horses and led by a slender auburn haired man. They took no notice to Erik above in the canopy, ever focused on trudging quickly through the snow. Erik quickly and silently crossed over the branches, attempting to gain a closer look. And what he saw chilled his blood: lying on the back of one of the white horses was an unconscious Elsa.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: As always, I do not own any of the Disney Frozen characters. I claim only the character of Erik. Thanks for the reviews and favorites everyone!**

He was stealthily scurrying down the tree, resisting the urge to frantically give chase and reveal his position. He was quite outnumbered, most likely outmatched, and out of time. He had failed once again, but this was his greatest blunder: failing to protect the person he swore to serve. Never mind that it wasn't his fault, as he did not voluntarily abdicate and leave the castle. None of that mattered now; he would not fail again. Not when Elsa needed him the most.

He would hunt from afar, staying in the shadows using brush and trees as cover, for the moon was shining bright, radiating a white sparkling white onto the snow. He was weathered down, gashes and bruises littered his body; his face was swollen with cuts and scrapes. He never stopped, he never slowed, his eyes stayed fixed upon Elsa. He wanted her to know she wasn't alone.

_These must have been the men she was running from… _His eyes narrowed. _What am I going to do? I need a plan of attack… _

The sight of the men infuriated him, fueling his inner fire. The need for a plan was dire, yet it was not enough for inspiration. The stress was too much, and no plan ever formulated. The pace continued, the chase ensued and Erik continued to weave about the forest; over rocks and slopes, through crevices and fallen oak and pine. A desperation grew within him, as he did not know where they were taking her. He decided he needed to take action, to at least try and get her before the men reached their destination. He withdrew his sword, crouched low and stalked closer towards the group. The men were large, formidable, and heavily armed to the gill with all matter of wicked weaponry. The pulse began to hasten, the senses became sharp and the world ever so slightly slowed. He took one last long breath, reared his sword backwards and stood to face his foes. They weren't paying attention, however. Erik too had lost his concentration, as there before them was the great fjord, and across the waters proudly stood Arendelle.

Confusion washed over Erik, _they… rescued her?_ Something didn't feel right to him, though. He had a dark sense, a feeling he had not sensed since… his father. _If they rescued her, what happened to her… why is she knocked out?_

He soon had some of his answers. "We're almost there!" The auburn haired man announced. Erik ducked back into the shadows instinctively, still not fully trusting this party's intentions. "Remember, you are to bring the Queen to the prison cells. Let me do the talking…" the man said fiercely, "and do not speak or answer to anyone else" he added.

_Prison cells...? _Erik felt his anger rising again. Something was not right, and Erik did not like the tone of the auburn haired man's voice. In fact, he didn't like anything about the man who screamed fraud to him.

A plan finally began to formulate. Erik would need to continue with his stealth. He needed to remain hidden as to find out this man's intentions, and then break Elsa out of jail. He took a step forward, and then stopped. He had a problem. The men were heading towards the bridge, if Erik followed, he would be wide out in the open and spotted immediately. He gazed across the frozen valley: ships were littered all over the ice, some damaged from the cold and wind, and others completely in tact but frozen in time. Erik had no chance to consider another route, and proceeded to the banks. He looked over, and saw the men were already on their way across the expanding stone structure. With a prayer they wouldn't notice, he sprinted and slid feet first to the closest ship. It was turned on its side, with the mast cracked in half and leaning upon the ice. Erik stayed hidden with his back to the hull, listening for any sign or exclamation of his whereabouts. When nothing came, he crawled and peered to the next ship.

It was bigger, had no visible damage, and was upright. Unfortunately it was also twice as far away. He would have to make a break for it with no cover. He could have been easily caught, with the moonlight still beaming. But at the moment he stood to run, the clouds rolled in and covered the ice in darkness. He took off with vigor, sprinting, then sliding, then slamming into the ship. He was now over halfway across, and considered his position and next move. Once he would reach the shore, he would be recognized. People, including his superiors, would ask where he had gone. Erik needed to stay incognito, he could not afford to blow his cover and lose the window to help Elsa.

He turned and embarked on climbing aboard the ship, heeding caution in case someone was foolish enough to still be out in the frigid weather. As he set foot upon the planks, he crouched low and proceeded to the stairs of the hold. The clouds were providing cover, and the ship was pitch black. He clumsily felt around, grasping at anything that would offer a disguise. Objects and pieces fell to the floor, and twice he introduced his knee to a table, which spawned several murmured curses. His rummaging finally came to fruition, and he felt a piece a cloth, which turned out to be a thick grey hooded cloak. He immediately threw his overcoat off and replaced it with the cloak, sliding the hood over his head. Cracking over the knocked down objects, he stumbled back to the stairs and returned to the deck.

The moon was still missing, but the sky was softening and shifting from black to deep purples and blues. The sunrise would be happening soon, and Erik would once again be in the open. He used the edges of the ship as cover and checked his position. The men and the Queen had just reached the gates and were in the process of admittance. Realizing the time it would take to climb back down the side, Erik went to the first bundle of rope he found, tied it to the side, and slid down as far as it would go. He let go and dropped the rest of the way, which luckily for him was just a few feet. From there, he went on a dead sprint to the shoreline, sliding and slipping all the while.

Upon reaching land, he scurried up to the large stony wall guarding the kingdom, and clapped his forehead for so carelessly leaving the ship without a second rope or other supplies. He would now have to freely climb the wall, slowing him down and placing himself in even more danger, and then he would have to get supplies. But there was no point in giving up now; who else was there to help the Queen? He clawed and crawled his way up, gritting his teeth and fighting the aches and pains of his body. With a heave, he threw himself over the edge and landed into a bush. He breathed heavily and stood up as nonchalantly as possible, rigidly walking towards the town square.

The sky was now an azure blue, with a red orange hue dominating the east. People were starting to file out into the harsh biting cold, and not a single person was without heavy attire. Erik was able to blend in perfectly with the crowd. Everyone trudged about, with solemn looks on their faces. There was a strong sense of hopelessness and confusion within the people, and it unnerved Erik. The normally bustling and boisterous streets were now chilled and hushed. He himself felt unusual and awkward, for falsifying his identity within the confines of his own kingdom. He pulled the hood further down, and lowered his head. He was looking and hearing for any sign, or whisper of Elsa's whereabouts. He searched for any of the men from the night. With nothing to be found, he crossed his way over towards the prison, in the hopes he was not far behind the party. His intuition would serve him well, as he soon caught eye of the auburn haired man strutting out of the entrance. A tall and fair noble approached the man immediately.

"What should we do now, Prince Hans? Have we heard anything yet of the Princess?" The noble walked alongside Hans.

"I'm afraid we still do not know where Anna is… but perhaps the Queen will diverge what she knows when she comes to." There was a hint of a bitter tone in Hans's voice over the word Queen.

The noble gave Hans a knowing look, "And what of the Queen when she wakes? What will we do with the one who caused this whole catastrophe?"

Hans stopped and looked to the ground. "If it is found that she is the reason Anna is missing, then unfortunately she would have to answer for her crimes. Right now, we need to her to put an end to this winter."

They walked on; brushing past the grey cloaked Erik. "My apologies sir", the noble remarked to Erik for walking into him. He politely tipped his hat and continued with Hans. Erik said nothing, and stood rooted to the ground in the middle of the pathway. His strange behavior caught the attention of Hans, and the two looked at each other. Erik's eyes were glaring, full of strength and Hans's were of distrust and a hunger for power. The two men continued walking and conversing, with Hans turning back to the noble and whispering, "have someone keep an eye on that fellow over there, there is something about him I don't like…" The noble meekly nodded in agreement.

Erik moved, after realizing he was drawing attention to himself for his behavior. "Prince Hans…" he whispered in thought. For a second he considered following the men, but elected instead to go the opposite direction. He didn't need any more information, and freeing Elsa was priority number one. He proceeded to his next phase of the plan, and went about the town obtaining supplies he deemed would be useful, from a rope to a metal pick, to a large metal bar. Throughout this time, he began to feel as if he was being watched. After an hour of planning and collecting supplies, Erik once again headed towards the prison, taking a shortcut through an alleyway between businesses in case anyone was indeed following him. As he rounded the corner to the plaza entrance, a figure moved to stand in his way.

"Good afternoon, lad. I have a few questions that I hope you'll indulge in answering."

Erik made no sudden movements, and kept his head down. Embarrassed, he knew he was in a bind, as the voice of that man belonged to his uncle.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks again for all the reviews, keep them coming!**

* * *

He was frozen. He did not say a word, and did not move a muscle. He had to go about this with tact, and thought. His uncle would not be fooled easily.

"My name is Captain Halvard, of the Royal Navy. I ask you once again to accompany me. I have a few questions for you." He stared at the young man; there was nothing but silence. "Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be, lad. Can I at least have a name?"

Erik carefully thought of how to respond. He would need to use a different tone of voice, a completely different dialect. He fragmented his words, trying almost too hard to sound different, "my name… be Gunnar… the Grey Spirit". The name sounded ridiculous to his own ears. He continued to grimly look down, feeling the full effects of embarrassment and foolishness.

"The Grey Spirit, you say? Now that's a title," He responded humorously. "So what brings the Grey Spirit to our humble kingdom of Arendelle?" There was much sarcasm in his voice.

Erik didn't respond. He wasn't sure what to say, and any lie at this point was not going to help.

"Not much of a talker. That's fine. Please follow me, there is something Prince Hans would like to discuss with you." Halvard turned to his side and gestured Erik to follow.

Erik frowned. _Hans sent him? Does Hans know who I really am?_ His thoughts were absurd, but nonetheless they shook Erik to the core.

"I'afraid I'ave nothin' ta say ta this… prince. I be goin' now." And Erik started to walk away towards the prison. A sturdy hand reached his shoulder and stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I really must insist" Halvard firmly replied with a smirk.

_He knows something… _Erik thought bitterly. He needed to act, and distance himself from his uncle. It was no use talking his way out of this; Halvard was too clever and too strong. Erik quickly noticed an awning beside them, full of packed snow. In dramatic fashion Erik exclaimed, "None can stop the Grey Spirit!" And he slammed his arm against the supporting pole, causing the mound of snow to collapse over Halvard's face.

Erik immediately took off, running through the plaza and towards the waterside of the prison. He could hear the guards around him yelling, "there he is! Stop him!"

"No! Stay at your posts, he is mine to deal with!" Captain Halvard bellowed. He was already in hot pursuit, and gaining ground.

"Sir! Should we notify Prince Hans?" Inquired a lanky guard.

"No. The Prince is in an important meeting with the nobles; do not disturb him. I'll handle this!" The captain breathed as he ran past.

Erik was rounding the walls to the prison; desperately searching for a clue to which window was Elsa's. As he ran down the sides, he noticed one window had a significant amount of frost, and upon touching it, Erik realized the frost was coming from the inside of the window. _This must be her…_ He pulled out the metal bar, and prepared to shatter the window.

"Grey Spirit indeed! You move… with swiftness and cunning Gunnar…"

Erik looked over his should to see Halvard standing, out of breath but grinning widely. The captain walked closer.

"But I would think that you would prefer I call you by your proper name, Erik." He smiled wider.

Erik sighed. _The battle is lost… now what._

Halvard's smile turned serious. "You've had us all worried sick. To just go missing like that… Where were you, Erik? And why are you dressed and acting like a crazed marauder?"

Erik removed the grey hood, and looked up at his uncle. The man was slighter taller than himself, with similar hair and eyes. But Halvard was far more weathered, and stresses of life had taken a toll on him. No one would doubt the captain's toughness, but Erik knew of his softer, protective side. The same side that Erik's father had possessed in himself. Halvard too had lost the people he loved.

"I'm sorry uncle, I didn't mean to be gone for so long… but I'm on a mission and I'm so close to finishing it… please… don't take me to Hans, something isn't right here, something isn't right with him. I don't trust him…"

Each word came frantically after the other. Erik was losing his cool; he had gotten so close to saving her, it would kill him to fail now.

"Easy now, son. What kind of mission are we talking about here? And on whose orders did it come from?" Halvard lightly asked, showing concern but also slight amusement.

"The orders are my own, and my mission is the same as the oath I swore upon joining the Navy," Erik riddled.

"To serve and protect the Royal Princesses and Arendelle," Halvard recited chant-like. "So you're saying you went out to find and rescue Princess Anna?"

"No," Erik replied with confusion. "I went out to find and save Queen Elsa… " And Erik told his uncle of how he chased after Elsa, of how upon meeting her, the two didn't exactly hit it off. He explained of how he awoke later, in a crater, and of the return journey back with Hans leading a company with an unconscious Elsa. He finally rounded his story back to Anna. "I did not know about Princess Anna, what has-"

"She's gone missing, just like you did. In search of the Queen." Halvard moved closer and was in a deep sage like contemplation. "Son, what is really going on? Why are you hiding your identity from everyone?"

"I told you the truth!" He replied, getting agitated. "I'm about to do something, that most people including this… Prince Hans, would deem unwise. I'm going to free Queen Elsa from her prison. I fear she is in incredible danger by being here, and Hans's motives unsettle me. Something doesn't feel right about this whole situation: The Queen is captured, the Princess is apparently missing and now Hans is acting ruler in their stead?! He is playing everyone for fools!" He stomped and swept his arm horizontally to further his point.

Halvard didn't seem to sense the severity in the situation, as he laughed. "You're going to set free the woman who literally blew you out of a tower? You must really have taken a liking to the Queen, eh?" He smiled at his red-faced nephew.

"It's not like- it's my duty to… I can't help it can I?" Erik finished, flustered. "Uncle, there's no time for this. I'm serious, something bad is going to happen if I don't help her!"

"Alright, alright, just calm down. If what you say is true, then you're going to need some help. The guards are everywhere." Halvard took the bar out of Erik's hands and studied it. "Breaking the window from out here would not be in the best interest for the Queen. The guards would enter her cell within seconds… You're going to need a distraction so as to allow her time to get away."

"So you're helping me then? Why the sudden change of heart?" Erik skeptically asked.

Halvard laughed again. "Did you really think I would turn in my one and only nephew?"

"I figured you wouldn't be so quick to believe me…" Erik looked out to the mountains he had struggled through only hours before. He felt an arm go over his shoulder. Halvard was smiling at him, calm and full of wisdom.

"Erik, I've made only two oaths in my life: one was to serve and protect the kingdom, the other was to you." He paused, and saw the confusion in Erik's eyes and his smile slightly faded. "I made an oath, or a promise if you will, to never question your instincts. Your heart and intuition are strong. I… didn't want to make the same mistake your father made, by ignoring your feelings. So when you tell me that the Queen needs help, I'm already sold. I'm already on board with you." He clapped Erik on the back, his smile had returned.

Halvard's smile widened even more as he looked at Erik, a devious glint formed in his eyes. "In fact, I think I've got a plan. Come on lad, let's go save your dream girl!" He winked coyly.

Erik sighed, the heat returning to his face. He took one last look at the frostbitten window. _Don't worry Elsa, we won't let you down, we'll get you out of this._


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: A big shoutout to: MidnightCoffeeAddict, strawberrymagic01, NauLana, backfromthedead91, callofduty1944, Bunny, FairyDust353, Asuka Kawashima, godbob111, and Krisedge for all the reviews! Thanks for giving me feedback, and therefore giving me confidence to continue writing this story! This chapter is for you!**

* * *

"You're going to want to put that hood back up, thief." Halvard deviously grinned at Erik.

"Thief? Wait I've seen that look before, what are you planning?" Erik eyed him suspiciously as he pulled the hood over his head.

"No time to explain, I think you'll be able to catch on quite quickly. Just play along!" And with that, Halvard grabbed the scruff of Erik's neck and proceeded to drag him to the front of the building.

"Hey! Wait a second, what-" Erik was nudged hard in the ribs as they rounded the corner. He took the hint and remained silent as the guards approached.

"At ease, gentlemen. I've got him under control now." Halvard proudly showed off his catch. "The Grey Spirit here needs some time to his thoughts."

"You're locking him up? Weren't the orders to just follow him, Captain Halvard?" The lieutenant of the guard stepped forward from the entrance, and sized Erik up. "The Grey Spirit… that's quite a curious name for such a… nonthreatening individual." He looked over to Halvard, "the charges?" he asked blankly.

_Getting angry isn't going to help anyone. Just ignore it, he's not worth the effort_, Erik avoided eye contact, pretending to not pay attention.

"That's hardly your concern lieutenant. But if you must: I observed him steal supplies from one of our vendors. I figure we can keep him for a day or two, just until he gets the message. This way he's also within our sights; it's far easier to track the lad when he's in one place."

"Very well, Captain. On your orders." And the lieutenant curtly stepped aside to allow them admittance.

Halvard led Erik through the entrance, doing his part to act rough and official. The building was cold, and dimly lit, the wood dark and untreated. A labyrinth of cells and hallways lay before them.

"We'll take him from here, Captain." Another set of guards met them from a nearby office.

"That's quite alright gentlemen, I'll see to it he finds his cell." And Halvard proceeded to drag Erik down the first hallway, without giving the men a chance to respond. They looked at each other, utterly perplexed.

Halvard started walking fast, his eyes darting to and fro, as if scanning. They wove deep through the building, moving from cell to cell. As they past, Erik realized the prison was unusually crowed, and furthermore the inmates themselves were not of the criminal norm. There were townsfolk, officials, tradesmen, and military personnel all packed within the holdings.

"Convicted as traitors, conspiring against the kingdom…" It came as a whisper. Halvard seemed to have read Erik's mind. "I don't think I need to tell you who accused them."

They turned to another corridor and found two guards standing watch over a fortified door. _This is it… This is her… _Erik felt a swash of nerves, his palms sweated, the anxiety rising. His heart sped up with each closer step to her door. He prepared to strike; he was not going to allow anyone to get in his way to her. But he didn't get his chance, as Halvard pushed him forward, and past the door. They steered left, where Halvard finally stopped in front of an empty cell. He checked to make sure no prison official was nearby.

"What are you doing?" Erik hissed, unable to hide his frustration. "Why didn't we take out the guards?"

Halvard sighed. "Because, that would only place the attention on you." He whispered, opening the cell, but refraining from locking it. "We need these guards to be distracted, so you can get to her room unseen. That will give you plenty of time to assist her escape."

"And how do you propose we distract them?" Erik was clearly becoming annoyed.

Halvard gestured down the hall. "Look around you, lad. These people are innocent and frustrated; they have been betrayed. If some of them were to break out, perhaps they will create a little chaos."

Erik took a moment to think, and then looked to his uncle questioningly. "That's another thing, Uncle. Did you put some of these people in here? What if they turn on us?"

"I had no choice, son. If I defied orders, then I wouldn't be of any help to anyone. I admit it: at that particular time, I was at a low point. I thought I had lost you. I was a hopeless fool." He grimly looked at his nephew, wanting to say more, but changed his mind. "But that's a story for another time. Do you still have that pick?" His eyes light up again.

"Yes I do, but you didn't answer my-"

"No buts; start a prison riot, Erik. And then get in there and tell Elsa your true feelings! I'll provide you as much cover and time as I can manage." He turned to leave, but hesitated. He looked back at Erik and beamed, "You're just like your father you know: headstrong, a big heart, always trying to do the right thing… just… be careful alright? We'll meet up when this is all over with." And with that he briskly vanished around the corner, leaving Erik to himself.

Wasting no time, Erik got to work. Door by door, he used his pick to break open the locks. He was silent, fulfilling his self-proclaimed title as the Grey Spirit and sparking wonder into the hearts of the prisoners. Within minutes he had released a formidable group of people. They needed no guidance, as they scattered in different directions. Erik continued down the line, until he could hear hectic sounds of struggle ripple through the walls. Content with the freed numbers, Erik moved to the perpendicular hallway containing Elsa. With his back to the wall, he peered to see the status of the guards. With luck, he saw that the guards were gone and rushed to the door. The handle was very cool to the touch, but it didn't slow him down. With a not so subtle click, he winced and carefully pushed the door open.

* * *

Elsa was stressed. She was shaken from her meeting with Hans, where he had pleaded for her to end the winter. As soon as he had left, she had begun to freeze the shackles holding her to the floor, which also happened to freeze her entire cell. She was trying hard to concentrate, but soon she heard yelling, and the sounds of guards struggling. Then there was a sound she was dreading: the lock on the door was being opened. _Oh no… They're already back.._.

With desperation she tried to concentrate harder to free herself, but the time ran out. The lock clicked, and the door swung open. There in her doorway stood a cloaked man. She gasped.

* * *

"Who are you? What do you want?!" Elsa cried, her eyes were wide with fear.

Erik stood awkwardly; once again awestruck from Elsa's beauty, before realizing he was still standing in the doorway. He quickly closed the door and relocked it from the inside. As he stepped closer to Elsa, she raised her imprisoned hands in a threatening manner. Erik raised his hands in response and stopped, his mouth agape from surprise. He removed his hood.

Elsa gasped again, clapping her hands to her mouth. "….Erik?! You're… alive! But how?!"

"Honestly, I'm not sure… Although I did land in a large group of pines… But there's no time for that now." He tried to show urgency, "my lady, we need to get you out of here fast!"

"I've been trying to get out, but the shackles are tougher than I thought…" She raised them for Erik to see. "I just need a little more time to freeze through them…"

"Here, I think I can help speed up the process," Erik managed a smile as he showed her the pick. "You'll be free in no time at all, my lady." And he walked closer to help.

But Elsa recoiled, and stepped back. "No, that's too dangerous, Erik. The shackles are already frozen over, I don't want to hurt you."

"I trust you, I know you won't hurt me" He remained calm and kept his genuine smile.

"What about the incident at the tower? I didn't want to hurt you then, and look what happened!" She sighed sadly, bowing her head.

"That was an honest accident, and my fault. I pushed you too far…I apologize for that…"

She lifted her blue eyes in surprise. "Erik, it was my fault. I can't control my emotions. I'm too dangerous to be around! Please, just let me do this my way…"

"We can't risk waiting…" He moved closer.

"And I can't risk freezing you!" She stepped away.

"You're worth getting frozen!" The words escaped his lips with ease. He couldn't hide his newfound feelings forever.

The air stilled, and filled with silence. Elsa opened her mouth to speak, but this time she was dumbfounded. She looked at him with stunning confusion. Before she knew it, Erik had already picked the locks, and the shackles clanked to the floor.

'There we are," Erik stated proudly. He reached out and held her hands, "see? I knew you wouldn't hurt me." He smiled brightly at her, trying his best to give her calm and confidence.

Elsa was unsure what she was feeling. Everything was becoming strange to her, and she was quite surprised with herself for not losing control. She noticed how warm Erik's hands were, and she couldn't help enjoying it. But something was troubling her.

"Why are you doing this?" she blurted out.

Erik looked at her and let go of her hands, caught off balance, embarrassed for his strong advance and unsure of how to answer.

"Why did you come back for me?" Elsa rephrased.

"It's my duty to protect you, my lady." Erik responded, falling back to his comfort zone. _Fool… _he thought to himself. _That was your chance to tell her!_

That wasn't the answer Elsa was looking for either. "Erik, please call me Elsa. You've risked your life on my behalf enough to earn that right. And I don't think you're being entirely truthful." Erik's face started to get red.

"I.." But Erik stopped. Something was wrong, and he instantly knew why. The sounds of the riot were gone. It was once again quiet outside the door. Elsa could see the concern on Erik's face.

"Erik?" She moved closer to him.

"We need to get you out of here, now. The guards will be back any minute and you need to find your sister…" He pulled out the bar to break open the window, but Elsa pushed him back.

"My sister? She didn't come back?" The panic started to resurface.

"No… I'm so sorry Elsa… I overheard that she's still lost…" _So much for calming her down… _Erik lamented.

With a mix of guilt and determination, she turned away from Erik. _Anna… what have I done? _She remembered losing control, of setting a giant snowman after her sister and watching in horror as he chased after her and that boy though the forest. Her emotions were swelling within her, the pain and weight of her mistakes bearing down. The determination failed, and the sorrows began. Far above the kingdom, icy swirling clouds began to form.

She realized Erik was staring at her with the most apologetic face she had ever seen. She reached out and lowered the bar Erik was holding. "Here, this will be faster." Breathing in deeply to regain what little focus she could afford, she slashed her hand through the air, sending a shockwave of ice and wind into the wall, and completely blowing it out. Chunks of rock, wood and glass exploded onto the frozen tundra. The artic air instantly rushed in, blowing their hair.

"Woah," Erik admired while raising his hands to shield the blasting cold, "that did the trick. But I'm sure someone heard that. You better go…"

But Elsa didn't move. She was torn with guilt. She needed to run and save Anna, the one person she had repeatedly hurt over and over; but she also wanted to stay with Erik: there was something about him that intrigued her as he had come back seemingly from the dead to save her.

"Elsa… please go…" He was growing weary and nervous. _Why is she hesitating?_

"But, what about you?" She worriedly asked, as her dress twirled about.

Just then, a loud jolt came from the door. The guards had arrived, and were fumbling with the lock. "What's happened in there!?" "Get the keys!" They heard muffled shuffling of feet scurry down the hall.

"Elsa! Run! I'll stay here and delay them as much as I can!"

She looked out to the ice and back to her rescuer. "But-"

"Please! Run!" He urged her with desperation.

She didn't know what to do, and her emotions and heart took over. A blizzard began to circulate around the kingdom and the winds became ferocious. With the howling flurries hectically raging behind her, she ran to Erik and hugged him, and then kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you… for everything." Her voice broke. Unable to say another word, she tearfully took off through the cracked stone and into the white abyss.

Erik watched her disappear in the cataclysm in stunned silence. He raised his hand to his cheek, unable to believe what had just happened. He barely noticed the lock click open, turning just in time to face a surprised and furious Hans.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Greetings everyone! I apologize for the late posting of this chapter. I admit, I had a hard time conveying the power and magnitude of this part of the story. It's still not perfect, and edits may be on the way. But for now I am content with the product. Thanks for all the views, and keep reviewing! Enjoy!**

* * *

White. Everything was blindingly white. She could barely see her hands in front her and the gale forces made it nearly impossible to keep her eyes open for more than a mere second. The desperation to stop the maelstrom only fueled the icy power. Her heart was pulling her in a multitude of directions, her head was spinning from everything that had happened, and she struggled to comprehend the new feelings she was experiencing. She realized she missed him.

_Why didn't I ask him to come with me? What if they hurt him? What was I thinking! _She was in agony, falling apart from wanting to go back to Erik and wanting to find Anna. But she wouldn't go back, because she didn't know where back was. Everything was gone; the white painted itself in front of the kingdom, as if effectively erasing it from existence. Elsa scrambled left, right, forwards and backwards in the hopes she could find something… anything… to give her a direction. But it was folly.

* * *

Thousands of feet away, on the foothills of the mountains, stood a man with intense insecurities. He had just given up his possibly one and only chance at love, in the hopes that it could save his hearts desire. He turned his back to Arendelle, accepting his loneliness and hopelessness. It was his choice to let her go; it was his choice to walk away instead of following her into the castle. He didn't want to go. He didn't want to see her kiss another. He knew it was selfish, and he didn't care. He knew he wouldn't be able to bear witness to it, to seeing their joy and elation. It was far better for him to vanish, so that she could live a happy life and not feel guilt for him.

He hated to be pitied: it made him feel weak, and lesser to those around him. Perhaps that was why he befriended a reindeer, and accepted a life with trolls. They never looked down upon him. In fact, they looked to him for strength. And that gave him what little confidence he had left.

He decided, for now, to not look back: he wanted to forget everything and return to his simple and humble lifestyle. But Sven, forever his friend and always the lookout, had other plans. The animal would not budge out of Kristoff's way. "What is with you?" He grumpily grumbled, trying to force his way around the suddenly crazed furry companion. Sven would not let up, and eventually physically forced Kristoff to about-face.

There before them, was what looked like a miniature snow driven hurricane. "Anna!" he exclaimed, and without hesitation to leaped onto Sven. Already two steps ahead, Sven kicked off, and blazed towards the frozen madness before them.

The man and his reindeer careened through the pines, their mentalities clicked and synchronized, and their hearts with the one person they had hoped was saved.

* * *

She was terrified, fully aware now of her mortality. The ice, creeping slowly through her veins, was ebbing her warmth, and pain wracked through her whole body. She needed to get to him; she needed to see him. He was her hope, and savior.

_Kristoff, please find me… I'm so sorry! _She willed her plea to reach him. The building around her was falling apart, and her only help was from the small magical snowman, Olaf. They struggled through the colliding debris, searching for a way to escape. With luck, Olaf spotted a broken window, and beckoned Anna to crawl through it. Their environment went from bad to worse, however once outside. She slid down the side of the roof and prepared herself to enter the fjord of ice. The very air around her felt out of control. Olaf offered encouragement, but to her dismay he was swept away before her very eyes. Time was running out, she was losing energy and growing weaker.

* * *

"Where is she!" Hans snarled, looking to the gaping hole. "You set her free didn't you!" Two of his cronies arrived behind him.

Erik pulled the hood back over his head. "By now, she is long gone and out of your wretched reach." Erik smirked. "You won't be seeing her again," he laughed, playing off of Hans's emotions. _I need to waste as much of his time as I can…_

"I knew you were up to something. You're a fool and a traitor to the Kingdom of Arendelle!" And before Erik could react, Hans ripped his sword out of his sheath and slammed the broadside directly into Erik. The force concussed him into the wall, where he cracked and crumpled into a heap on the floor.

"Ridley, take this so-called Grey Spirit to the dungeon." He looked at the man with disgust.

"My lord- shouldn't we just kill him?" Ridley sounded too eager.

"He may be of use to me. If I can't find Elsa, he surely could. Take him away. Once your finished, relieve Captain Halvard of his position. I suspect he has been conspiring with this urchin from the very beginning!" And with that, Hans kicked over a barrel, sheathed his sword, and vanished into the blizzard.

The two men heaved the seemingly unconscious Erik to his feet, and proceeded with one hand on each arm to drag him back into the hallway. Erik kept his eyes shut, processing what he had just heard. _They plan to murder him… _

He could hear a large group form around him. Their voices were the same as they were in the forest: they were all the true conspirators against the kingdom. _Resisting now isn't going to do any good… I'm going to have to wait for the right moment when they're scattered. I need to find Halvard… I need to warn him!_

One of hands let go of his arm, and he thought of making a break for it. But another hand swiftly and violently clasped on. "This is the Grey Spirit? Ha! He looks more like a grey squirrel!" The men all mockingly laughed.

"You know what we do to little pathetic squirrels?" Erik felt a cold blade placed on his neck. "We cut them into little pieces."

_I guess the wait is over._ Erik tried not to tense up, but prepared to fight.

"Hans ordered for him to stay alive, Gnash. You heard him say it…" Ridley's voice wavered. He was clearly intimidated by the other thug. The blade moved slightly away, but Erik could still feel the cold emitting off of it.

"He's caused us enough trouble… We'll just say he had an unfortunate accident." The group menacingly laughed again.

_Not good… not good… _Erik couldn't help it. He started to tense, his heart raced. His eyes flew open and there before him were the sickest kind of disorderly and foul assembly of men. They were all dressed as guards, but did not look the part. They were large, scarred, and terrifying: exactly the opposite of a kind and approachable Royal guardian.

"Look who's awake…" one of them snarled. "Just in time to witness his fate…"

"What's going on here?" A voice boomed. The laughing ceased. Erik felt his stomach fall. _No… what is he doing here?_ Halvard was standing in front of them. His face was solemn, and emotionless.

The thug called Gnash stepped forward, trying to look official. "Captain Halvard. You're prisoner escaped and caused a whole mess of chaos. We were told you had the situation handled."

Halvard paid no attention, and directed his words to Ridley. "Where is Prince Hans?"

Gnash interjected again, "his whereabouts are of no concern to you. He does have a message for you though: you're relieved of your duties captain." He motioned for the group, and they drew their swords. "You are hereby branded a traitor and conspirator against the kingdom."

"Stand down." Halvard unsheathed his own sword. He looked to Erik as if trying to communicate something wordlessly.

Gnash cackled and boasted. "You have no jurisdiction here, you're alone and outnumbered." He pointed his weapon directly at Halvard, "Join your accomplice in death."

"I am not alone…" A large gathering of the royal navy appeared behind him. Their swords were drawn, and they stood at the ready.

The two sides stared each other down. It was only seconds, but to Erik, it seemed to last lifetimes. Gnash walked threateningly back and forth before them, and then made up his mind. "Let's make this interesting, shall we?" He placed his sword on Erik's neck. "Drop your weapons." He looked smugly at Halvard.

_He's going to kill me either way. I have to act now._ With the thug not paying attention,Erik threw his head away from the blade and kicked Gnash's arm with all the force he could muster. The impact sent the arm and blade swinging towards Ridley. Erik's opposite captor let go in surprise, giving him the split second he needed to unsheathe his blade. Without hesitation Erik plunged forward and swiped at their front man, narrowly missing him but rallying Halvard's men. They charged forward and crashed into the thugs. Steel met steel, yelling and screaming echoed off the walls. Erik parried and forced his way through the ensuing chaos, trying to reach his uncle. A blade blew by and tore his sleeve.

Gnash stood in Erik's way, giving him a crazed look. "You truly are a menace, Grey Spirit. I underestimated you, but no more. I'm going to end you." He heaved his weapon mightily and slammed it vertically. Erik attempted to counter, but the man's strength was too much. Their swords met, and Erik lost his footing; he slipped and rolled across the floor.

"You're weak," He growled. Fully exploiting his opponent's weakness, he plunged his sword vertically again. Erik dodged and went to work. _I'm not going to be able to overpower him. But maybe he can overpower himself… _ He attacked with short swipes and quick movements, employing fleche' and battuta tactics. He avoided staying in one place; bumping and bouncing through the battling crowd around him. Gnash was stronger, but not faster; and soon he was tiring himself from the combination of his own powerful onslaught and Erik's quick distracting assaults. This was the chance Erik was waiting for. He changed his tactics and engaged straightforward. With the playing field more level, the skill of the blade became a decisive factor. Erik's abilities outmatched the front man's, and it was he who was now losing footing. The Navy itself was holding strong against the waves of attack. Halvard was not only still standing, but overwhelming his foes.

It was at this point, with the tides shifting, and the balance favoring the Royal Navy that it happened. The blizzard abruptly ended, the frozen vapors leaving a last trace as the bright mighty sun pierced through the clouds and blazed across the ground. The fighting immediately stopped, as everyone sensed that something had happened.

"The Queen has done it! She ended the winter!" Proclaimed one of the sailors.

"No. It's still cold." Erik could feel it. His heart was screaming at him. _Something is wrong. _

Gnash was laughing. "It looks like your Queen is dead, Grey Spirit. Your attempt to free her was wasted. Oh, but don't worry," he grinned with his jagged teeth, "you'll join her now!" And for the third time in a row, he heaved his sword at Erik with no effect.

The anger, the turmoil, the uncertainty, the stress… it all weighed into Erik like burning magma. He let his emotions go, and with quick decision he avoided the swooping blade; just as Hans had done to him, he twisted his sword to the broad side and forced it with all his strength to Gnash's head. The impact screwed up his face, and knocked him out cold. The thugs yelled and retaliated. They charged straight at Erik, but were blocked by Halvard.

"Go! Run! We'll hold them off!" He didn't take a chance to hear Erik's response, as he readied himself in supination.

Erik understood, and immediately took off down the hallway. His heart was in his throat, he was sick with knowing what he might find. Shaking from head to toe, he tore through her empty cell and barreled out into the open.

There was Elsa, sobbing uncontrollably on the ground; Hans with his sword raised and advancing; and there was Anna, the lost princess, hobbling towards the two of them.

"ELSA!" He screamed, but she didn't hear him, as he was too far away. He started to sprint, but slipped and fell clumsily over the ice. Fate was intervening and he powerlessly watched in shock and despair. He realized what Anna was doing.

"Princess Anna! NO!" But it was too late. Anna reached them just as Hans plunged his sword down. Her body turned a crystalline blue, all the way to her fingertips. She stood over Elsa as a last stand and the meeting of the blade and hand caused a ghostly explosion of shockwaves. A final rush of wind blew across the ice.

Hans was knocked back, unconscious with shards of his sword scattered. Elsa was sobbing even harder, now clutching onto a frozen statue of Anna. The princess was gone.


End file.
